RED WINGS NOTEBOOK: Players need to think outside the box

Red Wings center Cory Emmerton (25) is brought down by Buffalo left wing Thomas Vanek (26) in the second period in Detroit Wednesday. Emmerton was awarded a penalty shot on the tripping penalty. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Daniel Alfredsson didn’t practice, still bothered by a tender groin, but is expected to play Friday night in Carolina.

“Just a maintenance day, three games in four nights, so I’ll be ready to go tomorrow,” Alfredsson said. “I’m hoping to play every game.”

Advertisement

Alfredsson added he’ll play in back-to-back games as well.

“It’s the reality of being 40,” Alfredsson said. “Just being smart about it. I definitely would like to practice. I enjoy practice. But now with camp and starting the season with three in four you got to be careful.”

After the Hurricanes the Wings play at Boston on Saturday.

Tomas Tatar filled in on his line at practice.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Tatar, who was a healthy scratch in Wednesday’s opener. “I’m waiting to see, I think the lineup sheet will be up tomorrow.

“I’m getting in game shape with (assistant coach) Tom Renney out there,” Tatar added. “We’re trying to work after practice so I’m not out shape, we’re skating a lot. I’m ready. So whenever a spot will be open I’ll jump in there.”

Wings coach Mike Babcock made it known prior to the season opener he would be going with a more veteran lineup until those veterans are unable to perform to the level he wants.

“It’s the life,” Tatar said. “What can you do? I’m just trying to not get out of it, stay focused and be prepared.”

Staying out of the box

The Wings know they’re going to have to do a better job of staying out of the penalty box, but going 7-for-7 on the penalty kill was a nice.

“I think every year we think they’re going to call it tight at the beginning of the year and then it eases up,” Drew Miller said. “I don’t think the refs think that way, but for some reason that’s how it seems to shake out. We can’t take that many penalties, especially the 5-on-3 ones, going down two men is tough.”

Buffalo had a pair of 5-on-3 power plays on Wednesday, one in each of the first two periods, lasting all of two minutes and 22 seconds and could only muster two shots on goal.

“The positive side, I thought out PK did well,” Miller said. “From (Jimmy Howard) to the D to all the forwards that were a part of it we were systems strong and that’s kind of how we finished last year. We bought into playing a certain way and it’s carried over to this year. It was definitely a positive thing.

“Last year St. Louis I think scored four power play goals on us in the opener and our percentage was killed after that game,” Miller continued. “It was nice to get that first game going seven-for-seven and build off that to keep the percentage up. We all take pride in that. We want to be at the top of the league.”

The Blues were 4-for-5 with the man advantage in last year’s opener.

“It was a nightmare,” Howard said of last season’s 6-0 loss to St. Louis. “Last year was a different scenario where it was just thrown together. We progressed and got a lot better.

“It was a great start of the year,” Howard continued. “The past couple of years we could have been a lot better on the penalty kill, but it was a great start last night. This time of the year is when they call it tight. They’re going to call everything to keep the sticks down. You just have to play through it and keep your stick down on the puck.”

Send comments to chuck.pleiness@macombdaily.com and visit his blog at redwingsfront.wordpress.com